This balloon flower always surprises me, hidden away in a side garden that is lush and filled with foliage, and its own unobtrusive foliage rises without calling attention to itself. By the time it comes into bud, the surrounding plants have already pulled focus and attention from its show. A Rose-of-Sharon reaches far over the balloon flower’s head, while a honeysuckle vine winds its way up the wooden fence. A patch of Solomon’s seal, brought in by a bird many years ago, has finished flowering so I don’t notice the ascension of the balloon buds.
It’s steadily and steadfastly performed this way for several years without any help or coddling from me, and as such it deserves a little award. That meant doing a little research before I amend the surrounding soil and see if it’s in a spot conducive to its happy habitat. I don’t remember planting this, so I have a feeling it’s another gift from the garden that was here, or the result of a seed dropped by some bird in a stroke of luck. I’ve read that these plants don’t like to be disturbed, which is good to know before digging in and moving it somewhere else. Truth be told, it’s perfectly fine where it is, so I’ll just do a little top-dressing of manure and keep it well-watered for the rest of the summer. Loyalty is always appreciated in these parts; it’s time to pay this little pretty guy back.
